Testimonial for Dixie Tours

MERMAIDS TO GRACELAND


Stormy New Orleans

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The next step is a city tour with Javier Cuellar (our driver and GM of Dixie Tours) and Chris San Marco
(our tour guide). I can't say enough about these guys -- they are hands-down THE company to tour with in
New Orleans. Just lovely, lovely people. They really went out of their way to make sure we got a thorough
tour and plenty of photo-ops. Chris teased us, but answered every question we threw at him.

We run through the French Quarter, looking at the infamous balconies jutting out over the streets and
galleries jutting out over the banquette (that one's for you, Chris!) We see the balcony where Elvis sang
in the movie King Creole (see pic).

We head to the 9th Ward, the area devastated by Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Chris was living in St. Bernard
Parish when Katrina hit, in the home he and his wife raised their family in for forty years. On August 29th,
a 23-foot wall of water washed their lives away.

It took a month for the water to recede enough for Chris and his wife to return. When they did, all they
could do was sit in the car and cry. When they fled, they left behind everything. When they returned --
very little remained. Lost in muck a foot high on the floors of their family home ... were their memories.
Their childhood pictures. Their wedding pictures. Photos of their kids growing up. The things that make
life -- life -- gone.

And much of life in this place remains absent, save slabs of concrete where houses containing other
people's pictures used to be. Can you imagine your neighborhood, full of life and vibrancy one day.
Vacant the next. A sense of community, and then nothing. No friendly neighbors waving across the fence.
No kids playing in the backyard. No smells from summer barbecues. Just silence. Like a graveyard. I find
this point driven home by the photos I've taken today. Steps that lead to nowhere, looking sadly like a
grave marker for a life that used to be.

Chris says he and Javier could do two tours a day seven days a week before Katrina, and still turn
business away. Post-Katrina, this is the first tour he's done in 15 days. Most people think the French
Quarter and other touristy areas of New Orleans were also ravaged by water, but it's a false assumption.
These areas suffered storm damage, but nothing as devastating as the effects of the loss of tourism.

Come to New Orleans. Eat beignet. Drink bloody mary's. Drive around with Chris and Javier. It's the best
thing you can do to help.

And a sneaky way to help yourself with a visit to this fabulous city.
Testimonials for Dixie Tours

Testimonial for Dixie Tours

Mike,

My husband and I have returned home from our visit to your great city of New Orleans and we
still are talking about the great Dixie tour you provided for us.  Thank you!! thank you !!

We saw so much, and learned so much of New Orleans.  If I ever hear of anyone from this area
going to your city I will recommend your tour.

Thank you again for making our vacation a great one.

Flo **************

York, Pa.
Can anyone recommend Dixie Tours?


by cherylrf  (Virtual Tourist website)

I've been searching for tours and see that Dixie Tours New Orleans have a pretty comprehensive tour.
Has anyone heard of this or taken one of the tours recently? Thanks.
Re: Can anyone recommend Dixie International Tours?
by cherylrf

I did not hear from anyone concerning this tour company so I went ahead and booked the tour. IT WAS
FANTASTIC! The tour guide John was very knowledgable and nice to talk to. I'd recommend this tour for
anyone wanting an overview of the city and gems that can only come from a "local".








"Unexpectely thorough"

Dixie Tours New Orleans

kbomoon   2 contributions philadelphia, pa

Nov 9, 2010  I had seen a lot of jive-looking city tours advertised both before and during our stay in New Orleans.
But it was a rainy day and we were desperate for an activity. We had told the concierge at our hotel that we wanted
a tour that focused on the rebuilding after Katrina, so when we saw the brochure for Dixie Tours that seemed to
cover every tourist attraction NOLA has to offer, we were dubious. However, we had an outstanding tour guide
named Mike Marino, a true New Orleans character and lifelong resident of the city. He mixed biography with great
aphorisms and encyclopedic-level knowledge. Apparently Dixie only uses certified travel guides, so if they are all on
the level of Mike, this tour is definitely worthwhile.


(THIS REVIEW IS TAKEN FROM WWW.YELP.COM)

Review by:   Josh S.

Lacto-Ovo-Pesco Globetrotter
Jamaica Plain, MA
Compliment


4/13/2011  
I much prefer small tour groups, which is one of the main reasons I chose to do this tour. Another big plus for this
company is that they use a smallish van which can go through the French Quarter, unlike the large buses a lot of
the other companies had. I decided to do this tour as the very first thing I did to get a feel for the city and to get an
idea of where to visit during my first visit. Our tour guide (Gene) was great! He was funny, knowledgeable, and
since the group was so small (just 7 of us), he was easily able to answer questions or provide commentary given
our interests. I would highly recommend everyone looking for a tour of New Orleans to take a look at this company!

posted on TRIPADVISOR.COM June, 2011

“Very informative and detailed”

Reviewed June 24, 2011 - NEW

We almost booked another tour rated higher than Dixie Tours but they didn't reply to my inquiry until the
day of our trip. I am so glad too. Dixie Tours was half the price and a tremendous value. Our tour guide was
John and he seemed to know everything about the city. I had an expectation of what a tour of New Orleans
would include and John hit the nail on the head. We viewed murals on sides of buildings that I would have
easily overlooked - not knowing the significance, we made stops at one of the "cities of the dead", the
bayou at City Park, and viewed Katrina devastated neighborhoods that were still rebuilding. We drove past  
several celebrity homes,  and got loads of recommendations of places to eat or have a drink. This tour is an
excellent value and I would highly recommend it. Be sure to book on-line so you get the discount.
TripAdvisor.com  Review Report:  Dixie Tours

“Nice overview for 1st trip to NOLA”
luvstravlin       
                                                                                                       

Chicago, IllinoisReviewed July 2, 2011

Took the 3 hour tour with Gene in a very comfortable van. He was very informative and knowlegable about
the city and it's history. Saw the good and the bad - French quarter, the Garden district, neighborhoods
and devastation from Katrina still not fixed. Thought it was a great intro to the city.
Visited June 2011
posted on YELP.COM

7/8/2011  We had a city tour with John first thing Friday
morning. He was early to pick us up and was a complete
gentleman the entire time. He was a wealth of information
and was very entertaining. He also gave us lots of native
suggestions for food and entertainment.  Which were all
wonderful! My group of 4 friends and I thoroughly
enjoyed our tour and would do it again! - Cori H. (AZ)